On Saturday, March 12 I attended my first race event of the 2011 season. The United States Modified Touring Series ventured in to the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kansas as stop #4 on the schedule. The night before in South Coffeyville, Oklahoma boasted 78 modifieds, so I was pumped up to see who would be on hand Saturday night. Turns out there were a few less, but still 69 on hand for a showdown at the track nicknamed "the Hummer".
What was most interesting to me during the heat races were not just the total number of cars, but rather the drivers that made the trip to race. Jeff Stephens, normally an IMCA racer as far as I know, was in the first heat and finished fifth. Four Iowa guys filled heat two with Ryan Ruter blowing the doors off the competition for the win. Mike Hansen finished second, Ryan Gustin fourth, and Jesse Dennis seventh. The third heat saw three USMTS veterans take three of the top four spots with Jon Tesch taking the win, former USMTS national champion Jason Krohn finishing second, and defending USMTS national champion Jason Hughes in fourth. Heat four saw three more regular touring drivers atop the leaderboard as Tommy Weder Jr paced the field to the checkered followed by Johnny Scott and Tommy Myer. The surprise in this one was normal Wissota driver Don Eischens making the trip down from Minnesota.
Heat number six saw Wisconsin's Scott Mullen finish in the sixth position. Mullen normally drives IMCA in his homestate. The seventh and final heat race saw another IMCA standout driver Jordan Grabouski compete and finish sixth.
The b-mains were loaded down with a plethera of talent. Jason Krohn took top honors in the first consi with Randy Timms, Luke Driscoll, and Jordan Grabouski also moving on. B-main #2 saw three regular USMTS drivers take the top three positions as Jason Hughes beat Zack VanderBeek and Dereck Ramirez to the line. Speed's Kenny Wallace managed to finish fourth and advance to the feature as well. After struggling through the heat race, I thought for sure perennial contender Ryan Gustin would have made the right changes and ran away with the third consi race. That was not the case, however, as he had to hold off Rick Beebe for the final transfer spot at the line.
Following the three support class features (sorry, didn't take notes as the weather was cold and I didn't know any of the drivers but one), it was now time for the forty-lap feature. Pole-sitter John Webb would lead the first two laps before giving way to nine-time USMTS champion Kelly Shryock. Shryock, who started fourth on the grid, wasted no time in putting his competition in the dust as he opened up a straight away lead on the field until the yellow flag waved on lap sixteen. By that time, I noticed Jason Hughes had moved up roughly five or six spots from his twelfth starting spot. Deeper in the field Ryan Gustin was tryin to make his way through the entire field.
When the green waved again, Shryock would again get the jump and pull ahead by several carlengths. Shryock looked to have it on cruise control while Gustin and Hughes continued to move forward. Gustin would crack the top ten while Hughes moved into the third position behind Johnny Bone Jr. The yellow flag would wave again with nine laps to go, erasing Shryock's big lead once again. With Bone Jr and Hughes right on his rear bumper Shryock wasn't intimidated as he opened up a small distance over Hughes, who would find the quick way around the top side.
As Hughes slowly reeled in Shryock, Gustin was on the charge further back in the pack. It seemed like his car handled the best in the middle, compared to Hughes on the top side and Shryock running the low line. When the white flag was displayed it was Hughes overtaking Shryock by a few feet as they entered turn one. Hughes would maintain the momentum off the cushion and extend his lead by the slimmest margins as they entered turn three. Hughes diamonded off the corner and took the win by a car length over Shryock. Johnny Bone Jr would finish third while Ryan Gustin put on a show for the fans as he passed twenty-two cars en route to a fourth place finish. Jon Tesch rounded out the top five. The win was Hughes' eighth at the 3/8 mile facility in Humboldt.
The great racing action and surface provided by the officials at the Humboldt Speedway have lit a fire under me. After seeing all the passing and exciting side-by-side action, I'm ready for the race season to get here. Unfortunately I think I'll have to bottle up that enthusiasm for a few weeks until I get to another track. Right now my next likely race will be the Marshalltown Frostbuster on April 1, but that may change depending on my mood and the forecast.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Let's Get It On!!
Finally, the calendar has turned to March. March is perhaps my most anticipated month of the year. That is when my two biggest passions meet up, as college basketball hits their peak time of the year and normally the start of the dirt track race season begins to take the green flag.
This weekend was supposed to be my first race of the year, but officials from the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska and the United States Modified Touring Series opted to postpone the two-day event until June due to inclement weather forecasted. So, that just means another week of anticipation for next week. I plan on attending the USMTS race in Humboldt, Kansas next Saturday. I would like to go Friday to South Coffeyville, Oklahoma to watch them as well, but I'm not going to take time off work for that. Instead, I'll save that time off for another bigger race in April that's a little closer (at least in comparison).
And speaking of that bigger race, its hard to believe that particular race is now one month away. That race is the World Modified Dirt Track Championships held at the Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minnesota. The winner's check boasts a $20,000 check, and at last count the pre-entries had reached 138. It's definitely one of the most anticipated events of the season for me, and I hope to make it all four nights.
A little closer to home, many drivers are looking forward to the first weekend of April as their first races of the year. Marshalltown, Boone, and Vinton will host a "tripleheader frostbuster" in which the modified winners will get paid $1,000 for their efforts. In northern Iowa, they will jump right in to the points season as season openers are scheduled at Fairmont (MN) Raceway, Algona Raceway, and the I-35 Speedway in Mason City. Weather permitting, this promises to be the first 3-day race weekend of the year. With all those choices, I'm going to elect to attend a different show on that Saturday, April 2. I'm planning on making the trek to the "other" I-35 Speedway in Winston, Missouri for a USMTS race. I've only been to that track one other time, and that was some ten years ago.
Off the heels of a big upset yesterday, the Iowa Hawkeye men's basketball team has been vastly improving with every game played. While the Hawks will miss the post-season this year, I believe they have a bright future in store for them with the young players and a full season under new coach Fran McCaffery. The college hoops season is winding down as most major conference tournaments will begin either Wednesday or Thursday as they march into Selection Sunday.
So as one season is winding down, the race season is just getting started. The NASCAR season has seen two races run already, with the third being run as I type this. The dirt track season has begun down south and in the southwest. It won't be long and the dirt will be flying in the upper Midwest. For a schedule of upcoming special events, check out the calendar page at www.positivelyracing.com. Another website that offers monthly calendars is my own website, http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net and click on the appropriate link on the left-hand side.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
This weekend was supposed to be my first race of the year, but officials from the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska and the United States Modified Touring Series opted to postpone the two-day event until June due to inclement weather forecasted. So, that just means another week of anticipation for next week. I plan on attending the USMTS race in Humboldt, Kansas next Saturday. I would like to go Friday to South Coffeyville, Oklahoma to watch them as well, but I'm not going to take time off work for that. Instead, I'll save that time off for another bigger race in April that's a little closer (at least in comparison).
And speaking of that bigger race, its hard to believe that particular race is now one month away. That race is the World Modified Dirt Track Championships held at the Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minnesota. The winner's check boasts a $20,000 check, and at last count the pre-entries had reached 138. It's definitely one of the most anticipated events of the season for me, and I hope to make it all four nights.
A little closer to home, many drivers are looking forward to the first weekend of April as their first races of the year. Marshalltown, Boone, and Vinton will host a "tripleheader frostbuster" in which the modified winners will get paid $1,000 for their efforts. In northern Iowa, they will jump right in to the points season as season openers are scheduled at Fairmont (MN) Raceway, Algona Raceway, and the I-35 Speedway in Mason City. Weather permitting, this promises to be the first 3-day race weekend of the year. With all those choices, I'm going to elect to attend a different show on that Saturday, April 2. I'm planning on making the trek to the "other" I-35 Speedway in Winston, Missouri for a USMTS race. I've only been to that track one other time, and that was some ten years ago.
Off the heels of a big upset yesterday, the Iowa Hawkeye men's basketball team has been vastly improving with every game played. While the Hawks will miss the post-season this year, I believe they have a bright future in store for them with the young players and a full season under new coach Fran McCaffery. The college hoops season is winding down as most major conference tournaments will begin either Wednesday or Thursday as they march into Selection Sunday.
So as one season is winding down, the race season is just getting started. The NASCAR season has seen two races run already, with the third being run as I type this. The dirt track season has begun down south and in the southwest. It won't be long and the dirt will be flying in the upper Midwest. For a schedule of upcoming special events, check out the calendar page at www.positivelyracing.com. Another website that offers monthly calendars is my own website, http://tapfanstours.freehosting.net and click on the appropriate link on the left-hand side.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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